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Court Upholds Law Disclosing Names on Petitions

By

Jess Bravin

Updated June 25, 2010 12:01 a.m. ET

WASHINGTON—The Supreme Court upheld a state law that allows the disclosure of the names of people who sign ballot petitions, rejecting a claim that initiative supporters have a constitutional right to keep their identities secret.

But the justices said that if petition signers can show they would face threats or intimidation should their names be disclosed, a judge could order specific petitions withheld from public release.